Live Music Bars in Johannesburg

Johannesburg's best jazz venue and one of the finest on the continent. Two floors, a rotating roster of local and international musicians, and a cocktail programme designed to complement an evening of serious listening. Tickets required for headline acts (R100-R350); walk-ins welcome Sunday afternoons.

A craft beer bar that hosts live sessions every Thursday and Friday evening, with an open-air courtyard that carries sound beautifully. The music skews indie, folk, and local. Free entry before 8pm; R50 after. The beer list is the best reason to arrive early and stay.

A Soweto institution that has been running live music sessions for 20 years. Township jazz, mbaqanga, and local afrobeat in a neighbourhood shebeen setting that is warm, loud, and completely authentic. Cash only. Worth the journey from the northern suburbs.

Attached to the main theatre complex, this bar fills for pre- and post-show crowds and hosts its own Friday sessions independent of the main stage. Classic South African jazz and choral music. The cocktail list is better than the setting implies.

Melville's live music anchor. A proper neighbourhood bar with a small stage in the corner that hosts local acts every Wednesday through Saturday. Genres swing from blues to indie to the occasional jazz night. The wine list is unambitious but the Castle Lager on draught is perfectly cold.

A warehouse concert venue and bar modelled loosely on the London original, with a genuine commitment to pushing local electronic and live music artists. The sound system is professional. Drinks queue gets long after midnight — arrive before 10pm to avoid it and actually hear the music.

Named for the legendary saxophone player Kippie Moeketsi, this Newtown bar carries the cultural weight of its name. Live jazz every night of operation, with Sunday afternoon sessions that draw an older, knowledgeable crowd. The marula liqueur served warm is the house drink.

A hip-hop and R&B focused music bar that operates as both a listening space and a performance venue. The sound quality is exceptional for a 200-person room. Local MCs and beatmakers perform monthly; regional acts visit quarterly. Order the rum punch and claim a spot near the speaker stacks.

A historic venue in Newtown's cultural precinct that has hosted every major South African act of the last two decades. The main room holds 500; the side bar is a separate experience with local DJs and more experimental sounds. Drinks are well priced for the calibre of the venue.

A cocktail bar with a small stage and a focus on acoustic sets. The programming prioritises folk, singer-songwriter, and spoken word artists who work better at low volume in an intimate room. The cocktail list is excellent: 20 original serves, four seasonal. Go on a Tuesday for the cheapest drinks and the most relaxed atmosphere.

New bars, better drinks, and inside picks delivered to your inbox.

Know a bar we should feature? Recommend it and see it on barsforkings.com.